Leached/Flushed, Now They're Very Sad, Help?

Six Weeks
400w MH
77F, 30%
20/4

I don't think I need a picture for this one, should be pretty text book. The plants were flushed/leached two days ago and they're wicked sad right now. All but two are drooping and about 5 have developed golden-brown leaves at the bottom which vary in brittleness. One of the plants is 80% brown, up to the newest set of leaves.

Vinegar was used with the spring water to lower the PH to 6.0, I'm wondering if the vinegar fcked them up. This shit doesn't seem normal or good.

Let me summarize:

My plants pre-flush "yea, flushing!"
My plants post-flush "uh.."

Yeah I'm guessing the vinegar being very acidic fucked with them

mrCRC420 said:

Six Weeks
400w MH
77F, 30%
20/4

I don't think I need a picture for this one, should be pretty text book. The plants were flushed/leached two days ago and they're wicked sad right now. All but two are drooping and about 5 have developed golden-brown leaves at the bottom which vary in brittleness. One of the plants is 80% brown, up to the newest set of leaves.

Vinegar was used with the spring water to lower the PH to 6.0, I'm wondering if the vinegar fcked them up. This shit doesn't seem normal or good.

Let me summarize:

My plants pre-flush "yea, flushing!"
My plants post-flush "uh.."

Click to expand...

. bumpity bump. You should put pics though.

sounds like it's holding a bunch of water and suffocating from lack of O2

Q&A WITH THE HIGH TIMES CULTIVATION EXPERTS

pH Test
2001-01-23

Q: How do you test the pH level of your water? Also, how do you neutralize the pH level your water? Do have neutralize it in an organic soil mix garden?

-- Curious Bob

A: The easiest way to test the pH of a liquid is to use a test strip. These can be purchased anywhere that pool supplies are sold. They are simply strips of paper with litmus at the end. You dip the strip, wait for the color change, and compare the results to a chart provided on the bottle. For a more accurate reading, buy a pH meter in a garden store.Check you water. Hard water with high concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and potasium may be a bit alkaline, but probably not enough to harm the plants. In fact, the minerals found in hard water are used by the plant. Treated water with high concentrations of chlorine may be a bit acidic. Leaving the water sitting out for a few days will help remove the chlorine, which is in gasious form and will dissipate into the air upon standing, and raise the pH. In either case, water that is a few points off of neutral in either direction is ok. However, should you find your water to be extremly acidic or alkaline, 6.0 or lower and 8.0 or higher, you will need to take measures to correct the problem. Any hydroponic garden supply store will have chemicals that are used to raise or lower the pH of a liquid. If you can't find them, mix one teaspoon of hydrated lime per quart of water and apply once a month to raise the pH of the soil, or add a weak acid like citric acid or white vinegar to your water to lower it. However you go about adjusting the pH of your water, remember to flush the containers with tepid water once a month or so to keep salts and minerals from building up and toxifying the soil.

-- answered by max on 2001-01-23




I got that from high times. Maybe its something else. Is there big enough drainholes and is your soil loose??

I would guess your plants are water logged. PH may be an issue - ph is the most important and most overlooked factor in growing. In any event, no matter the cause the problem is the roots are rotting. The plant is turning yellow on the bottom as the plant pulls nutes from the less used leaves as it reforms roots. If you can you should raise the humidity so the plant doesnt have to transpire as much as the roots heal. If your soil is holding water and your pots are heavy after 4 days after a full water you should repot the plants. In the meantime you can water the plant with 5-10 percent hydrogen peroxide to force some o2 into the root system.

make sure your next soil mix contains plenty of sand and other drainage helpers!

You did'nt say if they were soil or hydro. Thats the most important detail because vinegar is fine in soil and deadly for hydro. My guess is if they were fine before the flush and bad right after the flush you are growing in hydro and hurt them. Why did you flush? Are they finished?

Word to everyone, thanks for the replies. I'm almost positive that there was just too much vinegar in there for some of the plants. Results: a few down, but many still kicking. Probably the scariest moment of my life but it's over, things seem to be going back to normal. Thanks all.